Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the thought of moving into a senior living community may seem daunting. Although these fears are valid, senior living communities are taking measures to make sure residents and prospective residents are safe. With virtual options and safety measures in place, moving into a senior living community right now does not have to be so scary. Read below to find out why.
Why would you move into a senior living community right now?
Contrary to popular belief, many senior living communities have not been drastically affected by COVID-19. Some residents even find living in a community through the pandemic comforting, as communities offer safe meal options, implement and enforce safety measures, and overall keep their residents updated on COVID-19 news. Not to mention, senior living community residents are isolated by staying within the community, which keeps them safe from any ‘outside elements.’
Safety Guidelines
Senior living communities as a collective have federal, state, and local COVID-19 guidelines, including elimination of nonessential visits, enforcing social distancing, increasing the amount of supplies communities have on hand, and training/testing staff members.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has outlined detailed recommendations for assisted living facilities to protect residents and staff from COVID-19. These include:
- Social distancing
- Not allowing outside visitors
- Wearing masks when leaving their rooms if tolerated
- Checking residents for fever and symptoms
- Delivering meals to rooms/providing pick up options for food if necessary
- Accommodating social distancing while dining
- Providing hand sanitizer, soap, etc. around the facilities, and more.
With these measures and more in place, one can be sure that senior living communities are doing everything to keep staff and residents safe.
Virtual Tours
One of the most important parts of the senior living community selection process is the tour. Touring a community allows you to see the facilities firsthand, as well as get a general feel for the community. While touring is very important, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not always the best idea to tour communities in person. Given this, most communities offer virtual tours to prospective residents and their families.
With the virtual tour option, you can explore the community and speak with staff and residents, while in the comfort and safety of your own home.
Move-in Process
Once you have made the decision to move into a senior living community during COVID-19, what do the next steps look like? Senior living communities have implemented necessary protocol to keep the process safe for all involved. Below are some examples of this protocol:
- Limiting the number of movers to reduce number of people
- Screening movers before the enter the facility
- Requiring everyone to wear face coverings/masks
- Requiring all furniture and possessions to be sanitized prior to entering the facility
